


Theories to Pints

by bellygunnr



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Surfing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-06 19:07:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20512001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellygunnr/pseuds/bellygunnr
Summary: Army waits for Aloha to come back so he can finally figure out this surfing business.





	Theories to Pints

Aloha was a natural in the water-- carefree and instinctual, reading the waves came to him instantly, often translated through the finest sensory input. That's how he made his way through every endeavor, after all, rarely putting theory to the process and letting himself ride it all out. Even now, he felt more than thought his way through the ever-changing wavescape, his companions a distant presence. He ignored Scuba as he shot out ahead of him, eager to take on the first waves of the day--

Aloha shot out after him. He takes a different path than Scuba, catches a slightly wilder wave and is sent on a steep line, gut swinging with vertigo. Amused laughter floods his senses as he levels out. He looks around in confusion.

Scuba had wiped out. He hangs onto his surfboard with both hands, grinning and squinting against the sunlight.

"Aloha! No fair!"

"What do you mean, no fair? Get good, Scuba!" Aloha shoots back good-naturedly. "You can always try again..."

Scuba sticks his tongue out but pulls himself back onto his surfboard. "You know, you're surfin' differently today, Aloha!"

"Awh, was I that obvious? There ain't no reason," he laughs. Aloha's already guiding his surfboard back to shore-- he had spotted something out on the beach, a glint of gold amidst the rubble. "Let me know how the water is when I get back!"

  
Army is folded up near Scuba's things when Aloha finally stumbles back onto shore. Aloha notes with interest that his face paint is gone-- probably not applied, if it was just going to wash off anyway. He flops down in front of him.

Army, for his part, does not shrink back or recoil, yet there's lines of tensions in his shoulders that tighten up like a spring.

"That nervous, huh?" Aloha says quietly. "You know-- we don't have to do this?"

"I'm not a quitter," Army says. "I want to do this!"

"Alright, alright. Here-- I got you something."

It had been something of a pain in the rear to arrange it. Aloha reaches over to rummage around the bag Scuba had brought-- in order to save travel space, they packed together, though their contents had quickly become a jumble. He growls in frustration when it takes him a couple minutes to locate the item. Once he does, however, he holds it up in triumph.

It's a small book.

It has a doodle of Army with a surfboard on the front.

"...Is... that...?" Army starts hesitantly, eyes wide, voice soft.

"A manual? Yes, it is! I made it just for you!" Aloha crows proudly. "Here! It's got all sorts of stuff-- I hope, anyway. It's more of a crash course..."

He and Scuba had been slightly intoxicated when writing the thing. Aloha had figured it would help the "surfer" in them flow.

In reality, all it had resulted in was spelling errors and shitty drawings in orange pen.

Army, though, takes the little booklet with shaking hands, green eyes shimmering. He thumbs through the pages like the slightest mishandling could break it-- Aloha could feel himself falling for him all over again. If they weren't already dating, he would have kissed him.

"Awh, you look like you're gonna cry," Aloha teases. "S'not that great, you know..."

Army shakes his head. "No, no, it's amazing!"

It's nonsensical, it's smeary in places, and Army isn't quite sure if half the sentences were comprised of real words.

"Thank you-- really," Army breathes out.

  
Teaching Army how to surf is a great opportunity for Aloha to remember how tiny his boyfriend actually was-- 5'1, only eluded to be larger simply through muscle mass and a parka meant for winter. The surfboard Aloha had chosen for him simply leaves him dwarfed.

"Can I... really control this thing?" Army asks uncertainly.

"Sure! You have a core as strong as horses, whatever those are," Aloha says brightly. "Besides, don't you go to like, yearly boot camp? You'll be fine!"

"It's monthly," Army corrects him immediately.

"Then yeah! We'll be okay!"


End file.
